It is Lost
by Tashya9206
Summary: The Dalish Elf, Raneia, finds out that Alistair, who is king, can no longer be in a relationship with her. The end of the Blight is upon them. What will happen?


As the Dalish slowly walked through the halls of the royal palace in Denerim, she couldn't help but wonder why Alistair had summoned her. Of course, she did enjoy his company, especially after that night they spent together in the camp. Perhaps he wanted her to spend the night with him in his room without anyone else knowing about it. The thought made her chuckle.

She finally reached his door, tapping her knuckles against it gently. Soon, she heard his voice beckoning her inside and, without another thought, she entered. He was sitting on his bed, his armor put off to the side and leaving him in his undergarments, which included cloth pants and a loose shirt. She smiled and walked over to him, sitting in his lap and planting a kiss on his lips. "I'm here, love."

It was then that she noticed: his expression seemed troubled, his eyes cast down to the embroidered rug on the floor, near the foot of the bed. He hardly seemed to notice her come in and sit on him. In fact…he hardly noticed anything. She frowned, cupping his firm jaw in her slender hand and lifting his eyes to look at her. "Alistair? Are you alright?"

"No." His voice seemed…darker than usual, as if he had been submerged into a deep depression. He gently picked her up and set her on her feet, walking over to the fire blazing in the corner and crossing his arms. It puzzled her; what had happened to make him act this way?

"Please…what's on your mind? Perhaps I can fix it. Was it something I said?"

He turned to face her, his brown eyes glazed over as he shook his head. "Not at all, Raneia…it isn't you. Rather…" He paused, approaching her slowly and looking down at her. He seemed heartbroken, and it was evident by his cracking voice. "Rather…it's what I must do to you."

Brows raised as the elf stared at him quizzically. "Do to me? What are you talking about? You're not making sense."

Alistair gripped her, his hands completely engulfing her shoulders. "It's so hard for me…you have to understand that…I don't want to do this."

"Alistair, no one can make you do anything." Raneia eyed him suspiciously. What was going on with him?

"I don't have a choice…" He frowned, almost pouted, as he let her go and turned around again. He then said the words that she had never dreamed of him saying.

"I have to let you go. _We're through._"

For a moment, the Dalish didn't believe him. She laughed heartily, making him turn around and glare at her. This, in turn, made her shut up abruptly. "You…you're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking."

"As king, I can't marry you. An elf would never be accepted into the royal court-"

Without thinking, she slammed him against the wall, making him wince and cry out quietly in pain. Her forearm had slid across his neck, threatening to choke him. Pale green eyes blazed in fury at what he'd just got through saying. "How **dare** you!" She noticed him begin to cry, but at the moment, she didn't care. "You tell me you love me, you give me gifts, you _sleep_ with me, and now you're telling me that you can't be with me anymore? All because I gave you the crown? How could you possibly-"

He managed at that moment to shove her off of him, tears streaming down his reddened cheeks as he stared at her. "You have to understand! I told you before I even said anything! I don't want to do this, but I have no choice!"

"Right…the king has no choice in who he's allowed to love." She scoffed quietly, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. Alistair stared at her in shock as she pulled something out of her vest. Was she going to kill him! She couldn't possibly be that stupid! She'd hang for such a crime!

His worries melted away as she tossed whatever it was on the floor and abruptly walked out of the room, face red in anger instead of sadness. However, he could hear her sobbing as she made her way down the corridor, back to her room. He sighed and then looked down to see what she'd discarded. His eyes widened as he recognized it immediately.

An old, dried-up rose with brown leaves and stem.


End file.
